3. The D of Health is currently underpinned by one professional deputy at D3 level, who deputises and assists her in the management of the Department and formulation of health policies. The DD of Health also supervises a wide range of regionalised and non-regionalised health services, maintains effective control of communicable and non-communicable diseases, serves on a number of professional and statutory committees and councils, provides advice in the field of preventive medical and public health, and deals with all matters related to the registration of medical, dental and supplementary medical profession.

4. Over the past few years, the Department has expanded in both the scope and depth of service in order to meet the aspirations of the community. New services added are summarized as follows -

Statutory functions

(i) Food control by Hygiene Division, which was transferred from the former Municipal Services Branch to DH in 1990; and

(ii) Rapid expansion of the Boards and Councils Office, including the professional support given to the Human Organ Transplant Board and the Provisional Council on Reproductive Technology.

Non-statutory functions

(i) Special preventive programme for the prevention and control of hepatitis and HIV/AIDS;

(ii) Formulation of policy on district health service to improve co-ordination among service providers from various sectors and participation of the community;

(iii) Provision of student health service to look after health needs of all school children;

(iv) Setting up of the Preparatory Committee on Chinese Medicine with a view to enacting legislation for controlling the registration of traditional Chinese medical practitioners and the use of Chinese medicine;

(v) Setting up of woman health centres for health education and screening for women aged 45 or above; and

(vi) Provision of elderly health service, including the setting up of elderly health centres and a network of nursing homes with medical and nursing facilities for the elderly.

5. Many of the new services are of a complex nature. Some of them, for example, student health service, involve the launching of a new concept which has stimulated much public support. Others, like food hygiene, which are matters of widespread public concern, require prompt and appropriate decisions to new findings and incidents. All these require greater attention and strengthened co-ordination from top management.

6. The existing DD of Health's level of responsibilities has been much enhanced in the recent years. With the launching of the Public Sector Reform in early 1990s for the promotion of a more accountable and responsive civil service, he has more closely involved in areas of resources allocation, financial management, and human resource management. Presently, he helps the Director to supervise 54 directorate staff and 264 service units.

7. The DD of Health, being fully committed to the daily operations, cannot afford to give the desired level of attention to the co-ordination and planning of health services. To improve co-ordination between different health services and to steer future developments, the D of Health considers it necessary to create an additional permanent post of DD of Health at D3 level to render the support.

8. The new DD of Health, to be designated as DD of Health (1), will be responsible mainly for primary health (including non-regionalised services and personal health services) and food control functions. The incumbent will also oversee the resources and financial management of the Department, serve as member on a number of professional and statutory committees and councils, and assist the D of Health in co-ordinating the development in various specialities.

9. The existing DD of Health, to be retitled as DD of Health (2), will then be responsible for public health functions (including overseeing special health services), health administration and planning, as well as the work of the Boards and Councils Office. The person will also be responsible for identifying planning and implementing customer service improvements.

10. The existing and proposed organisation charts of the DH are at Enclosures 1 and 2. The duty list of the existing DD of Health is at Enclosure 3 and the proposed job descriptions for the two DD of Health posts are at Enclosures 4 and 5.

11. The additional notional annual salary cost of this proposal at MID-POINT is -

$

No. of Post

New Permanent Post

1,372,800

1

The full annual average staff cost, including salaries and staff on-costs, is $2,399,952.

12. In addition, this proposal will necessitate the creation of an additional Personal Secretary I post at a notional annual mid-point salary cost of $ 239,880 and a full annual average staff cost of $ 387,252.

13. We have made sufficient provision in the 1996-97 Estimates to meet the cost of this proposal.

14. Upon re-organisation of the former Medical & Health Department in April 1989, DH was formed to provide preventive, promotive, curative and rehabilitative health services and to act as an agency for executing health related legislation.

15. At the time of formation, the Department had an establishment of 5 305 posts, including 21 Consultants and 18 other directorate posts, and with 65 grades. In the past seven years, the Department has expanded rapidly to a size of 6 418 posts including 30 Consultants, 24 other directorate posts and 72 different grades. Meanwhile, the number of service units has increased from 252 to 264. Within the next two years, another 26 units are expected to come into service.

1. Assisting in formulation and development of policies and provision of health services to the community relating to personal health, traditional Chinese medicine, child assessment, clinical genetics, community medicine, student health, family medicine, occupational health, public health & pathology laboratories and forensic pathology.

2. Advising and co-ordinating health services relating to the areas described in (1) above on a territory wide basis.

1. Assisting in formulation and development of policies and provision of health services to the community relating to port health, radiation health, narcotics and drug administration, special preventive programmes for hepatitis B and AIDS, Tuberculosis and chest, and social hygiene.

2. Advising and co-ordinating health services described in (1) above on a territory-wide basis.

3. Supervising the work of the following areas -

(a) Special Health Services Division;

(b) Non-regionalised services of special preventive programmes for AIDS and hepatitis B, tuberculosis and chest, and social hygiene;

(c) Health Administration and Planning Division;

(d) General Administration Division; and

(e) Boards and Councils Office.

4. Serving on professional and statutory committees and councils as member and to provide professional advice.